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Double Bass Steve LaSpina

#41
Man, I miss Bradley's.

Steve, I got to hang out a little bit at the session you did a number of years back with Doug Raney (with George Cables and Adam Nussbaum) and I was digging the sound you were getting as it was going down on tape. And it seemed to end up on the record too (although it's been a few years since I've listened to that one). THESE ROOMS has got to be one of my favorite records, it's one that has gotten monthly (if not weekly ) play since I got it maybe 13 or 14 years ago. EVERYBODY sounds great on that record.

Your dad was a bassist, how much was that an influence on your becoming a bassist and what kind of things did he recommend you work on when you were coming up?
 
#42
Hi Ed,

Wish I could say I remember the date you where talking about a little better. I only remember that doug didn't bring a guitar with him and he was playing on somone else's box. The steeplechase sessions are usually done with a four hour time limit on them. I am very happy to of had the chance to record my own music but, often i wish there was more time to get a better quality product together. I just think of them as live dates.

My dad was a help in as far as he told me who to listen to and told me that great bassist practice and pratice. He had some good ideas about sound and musicianship. My grandfather also played trumpet as everyone on my father's side played something. I was the first one to just play the bass and not have a day job. The family was pretty old school about being a full time musician. They stress having a day job, I told them I going be bassist and that was all there was too it. I grew up listening Zoot Sims and Wyton Kelly. There where loads of Oscar Pettiford and Oscar Peterson ( Ray Brown) records around the house. But I didn't really apperciate it till I was a sophmore in high school. Thanks for the nice word about the these rooms CD. Just a footnote the bass i played on that CD was my french bass. I picked that one up two days before the date. It was a little scary to try to play cross court on a bass i didn't really know. After that session was over i found out that bank approved me for a loan so I could buy that bass. The neck on that bass was cracked in two on a tour i did with Jim in 2001 right after9-11. David Gage had to replace the neck completely. The bass sufered $7000.00 in damage. It never returned to the orginal sound so I sold it a few years ago after I found the Wan Beradel, which is a great bass for the buck. Someday I will find another old bass but for now i love the Wan Beradel.That is also why i will never travel with my main bass again. I use the Czech ease on all my tours. Did a three week one last year with Jim Hall and was able to relax alittle more than usual.
 
#43
This is going back around 14 or 15 years, but you let me play that bass for a minute. You were working with Helen Merrill (with Gil and Terry) at some Spanish restaurant that was trying to be a venue (it's a grocery store now) on 6th Ave around 9th Street. It sounded great and was really easy to play. I'm sorry to hear about the accident. Terry had a funny story about a tour with Jim, going to Japan he's on the plane watching through the window as the baggage handlers are throwing his floor tom up onto a luggage cart, where it rolls and falls back onto the tarmac where they pick it up and toss it back to the top, Whereupon it rolls back down again. I think he said after the third fall, he just shut the blind and ordered a drink.
 
#45
Hey Steve, I bet you don't know which way to feel about posting on our Forum....all these bass players coming outta the wood-work.
I just wanted to tell you that i'm a fan and have listened to all your Jim stuff. I'm a Jim nut from way back, and even worked with him here in Denver many years ago.
I'm also a close friend of drummer Colin Bailey, who, I think you worked with along with the singer Carol Sloane.
I really enjoyed that Clinic-type video you did with Jim and the other guys from the band. To be a bassist and have the chance to play with Jim is one of the great things in life!
You and Jim were talking about a composition of his where you were suggesting using more linear, up and down the neck kind of stuff rather than slab-like fingering, across the finger board. The result, as you noted, was more of a horn-like Legato vibe. This also, reminded me of alot of Red Mitchell stuff, who, it sounds to me, might have been a fairly sizable influence on you...no?
Anyway, welcome to the board, and thanks for taking the time out to join us here at TBDB.
We are listening!
 
#46
Just to add some praise:

Something Special is a fantastic record. I've also enjoyed When Children Smile as well. Steve, have you heard from Dave Ballou lately? I haven't seen him since the Sandpoint workshop that Ed Schuller used to do (this was in '95 or so). Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the great playing and glad to see you on TB!
 
#48
isolated said:
Just to add some praise:

Something Special is a fantastic record. I've also enjoyed When Children Smile as well. Steve, have you heard from Dave Ballou lately? I haven't seen him since the Sandpoint workshop that Ed Schuller used to do (this was in '95 or so). Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the great playing and glad to see you on TB!
Click to expand...


Dave is doing great, just saw him. We did a cd for Steeplchase It should be out soon. Both Dave Ballou and Billy Drews did the date it was nice to have the group back together.
 
#49
Paul Warburton said:
Hey Steve, I bet you don't know which way to feel about posting on our Forum....all these bass players coming outta the wood-work.
I just wanted to tell you that i'm a fan and have listened to all your Jim stuff. I'm a Jim nut from way back, and even worked with him here in Denver many years ago.
I'm also a close friend of drummer Colin Bailey, who, I think you worked with along with the singer Carol Sloane.
I really enjoyed that Clinic-type video you did with Jim and the other guys from the band. To be a bassist and have the chance to play with Jim is one of the great things in life!
You and Jim were talking about a composition of his where you were suggesting using more linear, up and down the neck kind of stuff rather than slab-like fingering, across the finger board. The result, as you noted, was more of a horn-like Legato vibe. This also, reminded me of alot of Red Mitchell stuff, who, it sounds to me, might have been a fairly sizable influence on you...no?
Anyway, welcome to the board, and thanks for taking the time out to join us here at TBDB.
We are listening!
Click to expand...

Hello Paul,

Yes, Red Mitchell was one of the players I would listen too at Bradleys. He was one of the most creative soloist that every played the bass. Would come up with flowing solo's that would just sing. One of the greats that is for sure!!!!!
 
#51
NEW ONES.
2009. They musta just come up.
Looks like Steve got a Hawkes?

I love that other one, Jim's "Beija Flor". Steve's got the head on this one. The one I have has Mr. Groiner on piano (I think. It's on vinyl and don't have it right here). and Jim plays the head with some effects.
I played one gig with Joey in L.A. with..........AL HIRT. I wonder if he remembers that.

This made my evening, after some real ugly music. Bless yer heart.

PS. I'll lissen to "All The Things..." tomorrow.
 
#53
Looks awfully big for the Wan.

The rib depth looks deeper too, higher shoulders......please, let's don't get ugly here. ;)

Jim's almost 80 now. Wow.

EDIT: PS and BTW.....the Wans I've seen don't have ouside liners, this one do. Tuners look different too.. Sounds nice.
EDIT #2: Check out the solo guitar section in the middle of "All The Thangs....". I've heard Jim bend some notes but this is great.
 
#58
Hi Steve! First let me say that I always thoroughly enjoy hearing you play! I enjoyed hearing you on Piano Jazz the other night with Randy Brecker. I always prefer when Marian hosts though... :D

Anyway, I wanted to make sure I understand you right on your strings. I have a Bernadel too and have been using Flexicore's to play pretty much exclusively arco, but now I'm focusing more on jazz/pizz. So you only use the Thomasik's? Is that what is on the Wan in the videos?

slbass said:
I have used thomasik's orchestra for over tens years.
Click to expand...

Thanks in advance!
 
#59
Hello Kurt,

Yes the bass i used that day for the video's was one String Emporium supplied me with. And it did have Thomasik's strings on it. The bass you heard on the Randy Becker radio show was my Wan and I use Velvet Blue's strings on it. They are my Fav's for the Wan. I have also been using them on my Morrelli and think they sound great. The blue's are strings that are made to the same spec's as most steel strings. Not like the other velvet strings which are very thick and expensive. They sustain like steel but have the warmth and the earthy sound of guts. I really dig them. They do take a minute to get use to when bowing. I have done a few arco recording sessions with them and I think they sound great with the bow too. But some people are not crazy about bowing them. I noticed some of you were curious about the bass I used on the Jim Hall video done in March at the Library of Congress. Yes it is the Morrelli and I did not have the Velvets on the bass at that time. This is the same bass I started my musical life with forty years ago. It was my fathers bass originally and he gave it to me in the early seventies. When I had that old french bass (88-2004) I gave that bass to my dad to play. He had using it for the last 21 years and recently give it back to me. Funny how playing it again is like meeting up with an old friend. Kind of cool !!!!!

Thanks for writing and asking the question you asked, I am always happy to share information with other players.

Peace,

Steve
 
#60
Hello fellows,

I'd jump in this thread just to say that Steve LaSpina's playing on Jim Hall "Something special" was one of those recordings that changed my life a bit. You know, those albums (some concerts fall in that category too), it may happen every 1 or 2 years, that you come across a piece of music that would produce yet another small shift in your direction, or perhaps confirm you in the one that you were leading, but one that surely has an impact on you. Well, this one had it for me.

A few years before -early 90s- I had 'discovered' Jim Hall's trio "Live", with Don Thompson. After listening to that one, I'd try to grab any Jim Hall's album that I could, and eventually I borrowed this one from a friend, who had received it from the USA only a few days ago...

I didn't know who Steve LaSpina was. But I dig its playing inmediately, and spent a good number of hours close-listening to it, made partial transcriptions of a few tracks, tried to get on Steve's phrasing, etcetera. I certainly hope (I wish, at least) a little bit of all that is still present on my own playing.

Incidentally, it was the first time I'd listen to/of Larry Goldings too.

Cheers,
 

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